Parchment Packet Fish Dinners Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix butter, herbs, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl.
• Fold parchment sheets in half and use scissors to cut halves into 4 large hearts. Unfold and place parchment hearts open on a work surface. Spoon 1 Tbsp. herb butter in the center of one half of each heart, then divide snap peas, tomatoes, and garlic evenly into small piles over butter. Lay fish over vegetables, then top with 1 Tbsp. herb butter; season each with 1/8 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper. Fold parchment over and crimp edges tightly to form a sealed packet.
• Transfer packets to 2 large rimmed baking sheets, arranging in a single layer. Bake until just cooked through and a tester inserted through parchment slides through fish easily, about 13 minutes. Carefully cut open packets (steam will escape). Top with basil.
• Do Ahead
• Butter can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Fish packets can be assembled 4 hours ahead; chill. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before cooking.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Oil lightly the center of your Silpat mat set on a baking sheet, or, if you don't have the mat, oil a piece of foil. Scatter the potato slices over the oiled area, then turn them. Salt and pepper lightly. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, turning once.
• Meanwhile, cut off an 18-inch piece of parchment paper, and fold it in half. Open it up, and on one half place the fish alongside the folded edge, after salting and peppering it on both sides (see illustrations on preceding page and opposite). Pile the zucchini, carrot, scallion, and ginger on top of the fish, salt again lightly, and splash on enough wine to bathe the fillet(s) lightly. After the potato slices have had their 10-minute pre-roasting, arrange them on top or around the edge of the fish and sprinkle the herbs over all. Fold the other half of the parchment over, then fold in the open edge twice, and pleat it all around to make a semicircular airtight package. If it tends to open up where the folded edges meet, secure that place with a binder clip or a large paper clip. Place on the sheet pan, and bake for 12 minutes. If you have a fairly thick fillet, you may need to bake it 1 or 2 minutes more. Test with a skewer; if it goes in easily, the fish is done. Plunk the whole parchment package on a big dinner plate, and enjoy.
• Second Round
• You can make a delicious salad with the remaining fish. Arrange a bed of watercress or young arugula leaves on a salad plate, and set the fish on top. Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of Sauce Gribiche over it (see page 160), or, if you don't have that handy, use about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise thinned and tarted up with a little plain yogurt or lemon juice and seasoned with a small, finely chopped cornichon (or part of a dill pickle) and 1/2 teaspoon capers. Garnish with some strips of roasted red pepper-your own (see page 242) or from a jar-a few black olives, and some cherry tomatoes. Or try the Fish Salad recipe on page 157. These are just suggestions. Use your imagination, based on what you may have on hand.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place parchment squares on work surface. Generously butter half of each parchment square; top buttered half of each with 1 fish fillet. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; top each fillet with 3 tarragon leaves, then 1 piece of butter. Arrange asparagus around each fish fillet; pour 1 tablespoon orange juice over each. Fold parchment over fish and asparagus, folding and crimping edges tightly to seal and enclose filling completely. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets, spacing apart. do ahead Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill.
• Bake fish packets 17 minutes. Slide packets onto plates and serve.